U-bolts are used in many applications, including for clamping one or more elements, securing or supporting one or more elements, or sealing a connected region between two elements. U-bolts are typically utilized in combination with a cross member and a plurality of nuts.
In the typical application, a pair of nuts are threaded onto a pair of threaded ends provided on the u-bolt. As the nuts are threaded onto the ends, they exert a force upon the cross member in the direction of a curved portion on the u-bolt. The nuts are threaded onto the end until they reach a desired point on the end whereupon the cross member is located a desired distance from the curved portion. In such a manner, the nuts may be threaded so that the u-bolt and cross member cooperate to secure one or more elements located there between or clamp one or more elements located there between.
In certain applications, for example, in the exhaust system of a vehicle, there are several exhaust conduits, tubes, hoses or pipes of various shapes and lengths which are connected together to form a fluid path for the exhaust gas. In addition to being clamped, supported or secured, it may also be important that the connected region be provided with a substantially leak-proof and mechanically secure joint. For these applications, typically, the cross member is provided with a concave portion which opposes a corresponding concave curved portion on the u-bolt. As the cross member and u-bolt are forced towards each other through the use of a pair of nuts that are threaded on the ends of the u-bolt, the corresponding concave portions cooperate to reduce or eliminate leakage from the connected region. Sometimes it is still difficult to achieve uniformly leak-proof joints because the narrowness of such u-bolts and cross members makes it difficult to completely cover and connected region. This problem can be overcome by using one or more relatively wide shims in combination with a u-bolt and a cross member to effectively and easily seal the connected region.
Whatever the application, for most, it is often crucial that the nuts do not loosen or disengage once they are threaded onto the end whereby an element or elements are secured, clamped, or sealed. If the nuts back off the end, a safety hazard may arise because the element or elements cease to be secured, supported, clamped, or sealed. The present invention is directed to overcoming this and other disadvantages inherent in prior-art systems.